Bihar Political Crisis: BJP legislators likely to meet in Patna on Jan 27; CM Nitish Kumar may join NDA

There have been multiple media reports claiming that there is a disagreement within the current JDU-RJD alliance, and that the Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar may soon join the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) to form a new government in the state.

Amid the turmoil in Bihar's ruling 'Mahagathbandhan', the opposition BJP has called a meeting of its MPs and MLAs on January 27 to reportedly discuss the upcoming Lok Sabha polls.

According to BJP state unit chief Samrat Choudhary, the meeting will deliberate on the party's strategy for the general elections, the dates for which are yet to be announced.

Asked about speculations that the BJP is set for another innings with Nitish Kumar's JD(U), Choudhary told reporters, "No such thing has been discussed at our level." The BJP leaders on Friday dropped major hints about Kumar's reported discussions with the party's senior leaders.

Meanwhile, talking to reporters, senior BJP leader Sushil Kumar Modi said, "No door is closed in politics. The door can be opened if needed." In a separate development, Bihar Congress leader Shakeel Ahmed Khan has called a meeting of party MLAs and former legislators in Purnea at 2 pm on Saturday.

He also denied reports that the meeting had anything to do with the latest political developments in the state.

Also Read | 22 IAS, 79 IPS, 45 Bihar Administrative Service officers transferred in major rejig

There have been multiple media reports claiming that there is a disagreement within the current JDU-RJD alliance and that Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar may soon join the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) to form a new government in the state.

The trouble between JD(U) and RJD was out in the open when Kumar attended the high tea ceremony held at the Raj Bhavan in Patna on the occasion of the Republic Day but his deputy Tejashwi Yadav skipped the function.

Kumar was seen exchanging pleasantries with other guests, including BJP's Vijay Kumar Sinha, who is also the leader of the opposition in the state assembly.

Also Read | RJD urges Nitish to clear the 'confusion'

Meanwhile, State JD(U) president Umesh Singh Kushwaha in Patna said, "All is well in Bihar's ruling Mahagathbandhan and the media speculations are driven by some agenda." He also told reporters that he "met the chief minister yesterday as well as today. It is a routine affair. There is no truth in the rumours doing the rounds. We also reject the rumours that party MLAs have been asked to rush to Patna." Kumar had joined hands with RJD, founded by his former arch-rival Lalu Prasad, in August 2022, after he severed ties with the BJP which he accused of having tried to engineer a split in the JD(U).

With PTI inputs